A secondary battery has a positive electrode plate, a negative electrode plate, and a separator placed between the positive electrode plate and the negative electrode plate. The positive electrode plate has a collector plate and a positive electrode active material layer formed on a surface of the collector plate. The negative electrode plate has a collector plate and a negative electrode active material layer formed on a surface of the collector plate.
In forming the positive electrode plate or the negative electrode plate, the collector plate is formed as a long length of sheet, and the constituent material of the active material layer is applied onto the collector plate along its longitudinal direction. The width of the active material layer is smaller than the width of the collector plate, and a partial region of the collector plate is not covered with the active material layer. The collector plate having the active material layer formed thereon can be cut into predetermined lengths to provide positive electrode plates or negative electrode plates.